Improvement in



C. K. LEHMA'NN.

Improvement in Wagon-Tongue Supports.

No. 130,142, Patented Aug. 6,1872.

\Uiineues UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 5

CHRISTIAN K. LEHMANN, OF SAVANNAH, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN.WAGON-TONGUE SUPPORTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,142, dated August 6, 1872.

SPECIFICATION- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN K. LEH- MANN, of Savannah, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Wagon-Tongue Spring; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description thereof, reference.- being had to the accompanying drawing making part of the same.

Figure 1 is a top view of a section of a wagon-tongue and hounds having applied thereto the springs. Fig. 2 is a side view.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views. 7

The object of this invention is to support the tongue of a wagon above the ground, so that while in use it shall not hang from the necks of the horses, thereby relieving them from holding it up; the weight of the tongue being supported by a pair of springs, and the height of the tongue above the ground being.

regulated by a chain, whereby the ends of the two springs are connected to each other.

Of the above-specified invention the following is a more full and complete description.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, A represents the hounds of a wagon, in which is fitted and held in the usual way the tongue B, which is also constructed in the ordinary manner. The tongue is held in an upward-inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of the springs O D, which are of the shape and hold the relation to the hounds and tongue as shown in Fig. 1, in which figure it will be seen that the rear ends of the springs pass around the outside of the hounds and lap under, and a little way up on the inside, as will be seen at b, Fig. 1, whereas the front ends are bent down close to each side of the end of the tongue and terminate in a hook, a, Fig. 2, to which a chain, E, is attached, thereby connecting the ends of A the springs to each other, the chain passing from the hooks under the tongue, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be obvious that by this arrangement and adjustment of the springs the weight of the tongue is borne by them, as the tongue rests upon the chain, thereby holding it above the ground, and at any desirable distance therefrom, by simply shifting the chain from one link to another, as the height desired may require. As shown in the drawing, the tongue is held inclined above a horizontal, but which, however,may be inclined below a horizontal by giving more length to the chain. In this adjustment of the tongue in regard to elevation I am enabled to adapt it to different-size horses; hence one set of springs will answer for any wagon, as the elevation of the tongue can be easily and readily adjusted to the height of the team; also, by having the ends of the springs turn down under and upon the inside of the hounds they are not liable to become detached therefrom, but must remain in place so long as the tongue is allowed to rest upon the chain; and by this arrangement of the two springs and chain in relation to the hounds and tongue the springs can be easily detached from one wagon and connected with another, thus rendering the connection and disconnection easily and readily.

Claim.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The springs O D, as constructed and attached to the hounds A, and connected to each other by a chain, E, and arranged in relation to and in combination with the hounds A and tongue B as described, and for the purpose specified.

OHRISTIAN'K. LEHMANN.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, JOHN H. BURRIDGE. 

